Matt Doyle spoke with Republican House Minority Whip Steve Scalise about President-elect Joe Biden’s proposed 1.9 trillion dollar economic stimulus and COVID relief plan…
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Pointe Coupee Parish native Lieutenant General Russel Honore will oversee the investigation of Capitol security after the January 6th riot where protesters stormed the building. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”
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The Louisiana Department of Health reports the first confirmed case of the more infectious U.K. variant of coronavirus in the state. Matt Doyle has the story.
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The incoming Biden Administration has proposed its first priority for the Democratic-controlled Congress, a 1.9 trillion dollar COVID relief and economic stimulus plan.
A 350 billion dollar chunk of that would assist local and state governments who have seen their budgets battered by COVID. Republican Congressman, and House Minority Whip Steve Scalise…
The proposal also includes upping federally boost unemployment payments from 300 dollars to 400 dollars a week and extending them, along with the eviction moratorium, through the end of September.
The plan also includes big expansions of the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, and a 1,400 dollar stimulus check. Scalise calls the big-spending so soon after December’s COVID bill unnecessary.
Also included is a call for an increase in the minimum wage to 15 dollars an hour, and an end to the tipped minimum wage. Scalise says that would end up sending a lot of jobs to China.
Democrats hold a slim majority in both the House and Senate and could pass the proposal along party lines.
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Lieutenant General Russel Honore has been appointed to oversee the investigation of Capitol Security after protestors stormed the building on January 6th. LSU Communications Professor Bob Mann says the Pointe Coupee Parish native, is by far the best choice.
Honore is best known for the leadership he provided as commander of Joint Task Force Katrina, following the historic hurricane in 2005. He retired from the Army in 2008. Mann says his retirement will assist with the investigation.
Mann says the investigation requires the combined efforts of several law enforcement agencies and Honore’s experience in chaos and respect from both political parties makes him ideal for the job.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi named Honore to the position on Friday calling for an immediate review of the Capitol’s security infrastructure, and interagency processes and procedures.
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Louisiana has discovered its first case of the new, more infectious U.K. variant of the coronavirus.
The new variant is about 50 percent more infectious than the dominant strain in the state right now, but LSU Health New Orleans Assistant Dean of Translational Science Lucio Miele says viruses have evolutionary pressure to grow more infectious…
The CDC warns the UK variant will likely become the dominant strain of coronavirus in the U.S. by March.
Miele says this is one of several new branches of the virus that have been discovered in recent months. They all share one thing in common…
The Louisiana Department of Health reports they are trying to isolate those who’s been in contact with the new mutation, but it is likely that strain is already circulating through the state.
Miele says the good news is that so far it looks like our vaccines protect against the new strain, and if the virus mutates further they’ll be ready to respond…
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The Saints season is over and a Hall of Fame career could be over too. In the third matchup of the season, Tampa Bay got the better of New Orleans beating the Black and Gold 30-20 in what could be quarterback Drew Brees’ final game. It was a difficult year for Brees and another tough home playoff loss, but he’s happy for the journey
Brees was asked in the postgame if this was his last game, but the 42-year-old was not ready to announce a decision on Sunday night. If this was a Brees’ final game, it ends with him throwing three interceptions
Cut 14 (13) “…those turnovers.”
The Saints had four turnovers on the night and it led to 21 Tampa Bay points. Coach Sean Payton says it’s hard to win postseason games when you do that
Payton and Brees arrived in New Orleans together in 2006 as the city was just beginning its long recovery from Hurricane Katrina. The two guided New Orleans to the NFC Championship game that season and won a Super Bowl three seasons later. Payton was asked about what Brees has meant to the organization, but the coach says he can give that answer in the future